Women's Volleyball | August 20

DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team won three of four sets versus Northern Iowa in an exhibition match Saturday at Victor E. Court.

"It was awesome for us to get experience against another team. We have the utmost respect for Northern Iowa, a storied program, so many positive things. So, it was good for our group to find positives today and do some nice things after a good two weeks of work," said Head Coach Ray Gooden.

The exhibition was an opportunity for NIU, who added five newcomers during the off season, to gain valuable live-game experience prior to the regular season schedule, which starts Friday. The two squads previously met last season in another exhibition game in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

"I think everyone had their nervous energy - we tried to rehearse wearing jerseys but again, when you play somebody, there's always the nervousness, the anxiousness to go out there and play. It was a little hectic on both sides for both teams. But when we settled ourselves down, I thought we played some solid volleyball. I thought that we did a solid job from the serving line and winning some tough plays when we needed to,"

Now, the Huskies turn their attention to the Huskie Invitational and the start of the regular season.

"We want to be as healthy and as rested as possible. Because now, we're going to add another factor next week with school. So, we're going to add that new twist, and we have to balance being a student and an athlete. But we're excited and we're so excited to be at Victor E. Court. It was great to have people here today. Just have a nice positive energy. We missed this. We missed the people. We missed the vibe. So, we're very thankful for all the Huskies that came out today."

The Huskie Invitational commences at the end of this week. NIU will face South Dakota State and NJIT on Friday, Aug. 21. They'll conclude the tournament the following day when they square off against UIC.

Season Tickets start at $30 in the general admission. A Huskie Four-Pack is available at $22.50 per ticket, with a minimum of four season tickets purchased. New for the 2022 season is the addition of 20 courtside seats on the south side of Victor E. Court. For $180, which includes a season ticket and Premium Seat License, Huskie fans will have a chance to experience NIU Volleyball like never before for less than $13 per match. All orders have a $5 handling fee. To purchase, click on the following link.

*please note that due to a prior agreement between the coaches, stats and scores from this exhibition match would not be made available to the public*